Hollow
by Xennariel
Summary: Roy and Riza run headfirst into a trap and are captured by an insane man that wants nothing more than to see them suffer for putting him behind bars. Their resolve and loyalty to each other are tested and somehow their captor manages to tear them apart.
1. Chapter 1

This is my attempt at branching out a bit from fluff with a hostage type angst fic. Rated for violence, suggested violence, and mild language.

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It wasn't until it was far too late that either of them realized it was a trap.

Doren Finch, a notorious serial killer, rapist, and thief, managed to break out of jail with the help of his mob and the first thing on his agenda was taking revenge on Roy Mustang, the man responsible for his being sentenced to life in prison.

Roy had overheard someone talking about Finch and his whereabouts while walking home from headquarters and decided to act on the gossip immediately. The man needed to be caught before anyone got hurt and Mustang did not want to waste any time.

The only other person from his team in the vicinity was Hawkeye, but their lack of backup didn't deter them. Both knew Finch was dangerous and smart and wouldn't fall for just any kind of trick. It had been hard enough to catch him the last time. They needed to act fast and had no time to wait for the rest of their team.

This was to be their downfall as they arrived at the bar where the Finch Mob was supposedly spending the evening and were immediately surrounded. Outnumbered and taken by surprise, it was only a matter of time before Mustang and Hawkeye's valiant efforts to fend off their assailants proved futile.

When Riza was ripped from Roy's side, he practically snarled at the men who would dare handle her so callously. His gloves were torn and his arms were held behind his back by several members of Finch's gang to ensure he couldn't use his clap alchemy. It was like the Promised Day all over again and Roy almost felt sick just thinking about that horrible experience in the tunnels beneath the city.

Riza put up quite a fight, but was ultimately taken down the same way as Roy and she bit back a yelp when one of the men struck her across the face with the butt of his gun. Roy shouted her rank and struggled against the men that held him.

"Let her go," Roy growled at Finch, his glare so fierce it would have brought a lesser man to his knees. But Finch was too ruthless and malicious to so much as flinch under the Flame Alchemist's piercing gaze. "I'm the one you want, right? She has nothing to do with this."

"And give her the chance to tell someone of your predicament?" Finch barked a laugh. "I think not. And what do you mean she has nothing to do with this? She _is_ the one that was with you that night five years ago, is she not? I almost didn't recognize her. That act she put on with that skimpy dress and flighty attitude certainly fooled me, I'll give her that. I had no idea she was your dear lieutenant. Oh, I'm sorry, she's a captain now isn't she? Forgive me, it's been so long since I was on the outside. And who's fault is that I wonder?"

Riza tried again to pull away from the men that held her and Finch scoffed at her, walking over casually and kicking her in the gut. She coughed and gasped from the air being knocked out of her.

"Stop it, damn you!" Roy hollered, unable to contain the rage bubbling up inside him.

Finch was known to enjoy playing with his female victims before eventually killing them in some of the slowest and most painful ways imaginable. Roy knew this and tried desperately to get to Riza again. He didn't want to think about what might happen to her if Finch decided to take her away. It was his fault she was in this mess. Roy had been so focused on catching Finch, so confident they would have him behind bars again by the end of the night, that he hadn't thought about the fact that Finch might have expected them to track him down. Was counting on it, even.

Roy was punched in the face for his efforts at breaking free and blood spurt from his nose onto the floor and over the front of his uniform.

"General!" Riza shouted despite still being doubled over in pain.

"How touching," Finch said, voice laced with fake sincerity. "The more you struggle to get to each other, the more injured you will become… But, as much fun as it is to watch you two, I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut this party short."

Finch motioned to Riza. His men lifted her and dragged her away while she kicked and twisted and tried to get them off of her. One of the men clocked her in the side of the head with his gun again and she sagged as she fell into unconsciousness from the force of the blow.

"Captain! Damn you bastards! Where are you taking her!?"

"That's something you don't need to know, _General_ ," Finch sneered, wagging his finger at Roy in such an annoying manner that it made the brigadier general want to set him on fire. Finch directed his attention to his men and motioned with his hand. "Take him to the other room."

Roy was then dragged off in much the same way as Riza, kicking and fighting and trying his best to escape. His attempts were fruitless though and he was shoved into a windowless room, the only light coming from a single bulb in the center. Finch's men strapped him into a chair beneath the bulb and promptly left him, slamming and locking the door behind them.

Roy struggled against his bonds, but it was useless and only wore him out. Eventually he gave up and slumped in the chair, breathing heavily and staring at the ground in concentration, trying to come up with some kind of plan to get out. For all his strategical logic and tactical knowledge, Roy could not come up with a single idea that would allow him to break his bonds and rescue his captain.

Once again, he found himself utterly useless when it came to protecting the people he cared about.


	2. Chapter 2

Dark, painful, cold. These were the first things that came to Riza's mind when she slowly woke and groaned as the severe pain in her head and abdomen became apparent. She went to rub her head, only to find she couldn't move her arms. Looking down, she frowned at the straps binding her to the chair she sat in. She pulled at her bonds and twisted in an attempt to loosen them, but like it had with Roy, it only served to tire her.

"Ah, the little lady finally wakes."

Riza's head snapped up and she scowled at Finch who met her hard glare with a deranged smile. She wanted to shoot that slimy grin right off his face. He wandered over to her, dragging his hand lazily over her chair as he walked around it. Riza did her best to ignore the unnerving chill that went down her spine at his proximity.

"Where's the General? Tell me what you've done with him or I'll..."

"Or you'll what?" Finch leaned down from behind her, his face far too close to her ear for her liking. He gripped her shoulders and chuckled. "I don't think you're in any kind of position to be making demands, my dear."

Riza clenched her jaw, balling her hands into fists and glaring ahead defiantly.

"You _will_ pay for this," she said, tone quiet and deadly.

"Perhaps," Finch said, moving away from her. "But unlikely, considering where you are currently. How do you expect to punish me if you're all tied up?"

Riza remained silent, refusing to waste any more of her words on him.

"Not going to speak any longer, hm? That's fine, I don't mind the quiet ones."

Finch picked something up off the table in front of Riza and the glint from the dim light that reflected off of the object revealed it to be a knife. Hawkeye didn't react, her stoic poker face in place as Finch approached her, inspecting the knife as he flipped it casually. He leaned down close to her and lifted the knife, the glare from the metal hit her eyes, but she did not turn away. She stared straight ahead, gaze unwavering even as he pressed the knife gently to the side of her face.

"It is a shame though," Finch muttered, so close that his breath ghosted over Riza's face and she had to fight not to cringe. "I've always had a soft spot for screamers."

Finch applied pressure to the knife, just enough to break skin, and he slowly dragged it down Riza's face, a line of blood following in its wake. And still Riza did not move, did not make a sound. Finch grinned as he pulled the knife away and leaned in close to languidly lick the blood off the side of Riza's face and she shuddered in disgust, expression contorting into a grimace.

He pulled back and laughed, setting the knife back down on the table.

"You know, I'd be a fool not to notice the way Mustang looks at you. After watching you two closely for only a few days, I know there _must_ be something more between you. I will use you to break him. Ha! I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees you after I'm done."

Riza grit her teeth and refused to look away from the wall in front of her, refused to give him the satisfaction of any kind of reaction. She would _not_ let him win.

 **000000**

Sweat dribbled down Mustang's forehead as he struggled against his bonds again. If he could just free one of his arms it would be all he needed. He could clap and use alchemy to get out and help Hawkeye. He didn't care what happened to himself. As long as she was safe it would be enough.

The door to his room opened and Roy stalled in his movements, glaring up at the man who dared to hurt Mustang and his most precious subordinate.

"Where's the Captain?"

"Ah, so beautiful, both of you concerned for the other." Finch smirked. "She's fine. For now."

Roy pulled at his restraints and attempted to launch himself at Finch who just laughed at him.

"Now, now, there's no need for that." Finch said, stepping closer to Mustang. "I won't do much to her. I'm just going to make a few...suggestions. What happens will all be up to her, really."

"What the hell are you going on about?"

"You'll see," was the only cryptic response Roy got before Finch punched him, his head slamming into the back of the chair from the unexpected force of the blow, knocking him out cold.

 **000000**

How long had they been locked away by Finch and his mob? Hours? Days? Roy didn't know. He was disoriented and tired and just wanted to see Riza. Needed to know if she was even alive or not. Was anyone even looking for them? Did anyone know they were missing? So many questions ran through his mind and he desperately wanted answers.

After everything they'd been through, to be taken out by a mobster, not even an alchemist, seemed ridiculous.

Light flooded the room when the door suddenly opened and Roy squinted, trying to make out who it was that entered. The silhouettes of three men stood in the doorway. Roy recognized the one in the center very well. Finch motioned at Roy with both hands and the two men behind him moved to unlock the straps holding him down.

Roy cursed inwardly at his lack of strength. He was loose, he was free, if only he had the power to fight against the men that held him.

"What are you planning now?" Mustang said, trying with all he had to sound menacing, but failed. In his weakened state it came out as more of a groan of pain.

"I'm taking you to see someone very important to you."

Roy didn't miss the tinge of excitement in the insane man's tone.

They walked down a long corridor, turned a corner, and entered a room that was much like the one Roy had been locked in, only brightly lit and well furnished.

As soon as Roy stepped foot into the room his eyes fell on Riza and widened in horror. Her clothes were torn and covered in blood, her nose and fingers appeared broken, lips split in several places, a long gash ran down the side of her face, and bruises covered her face and arms. But what hurt the most was her expression. This was not the Riza he knew. She looked broken, despondent, tired. It was almost like she wasn't there.

She didn't even look at him when he muttered her rank.

"See, Mustang? She's still alive. Aren't you happy about that?" Roy glared at Finch and said nothing. Finch turned to Riza and put a hand on her shoulder. It made Roy want to tear the man apart. "Tell him, miss sniper. Tell him exactly what you told me."

Riza finally met Roy's gaze and held it.

"I never cared about you," she said, voice like ice, cold and unfeeling. "How could I after you used flame alchemy to take so many lives?"

And there they were, the words Roy had always dreaded hearing. The thoughts he knew she harbored, but hoped she didn't. She felt betrayed, hurt, bitter because he used the gift she gave him to kill innocents.

The others in the room didn't know the depth of what Riza spoke, but Roy understood all too well. It was like a sucker punch to the gut.

He stared into her dead and distant eyes and felt cold, empty, numb. Hollow.


	3. Chapter 3

Riza stood silently next to Finch as he grinned maliciously at Roy who was once again strapped to the chair in the dark room he had been locked in for over a week. She seemed unable to meet Roy's gaze and he didn't know if that was because she didn't want to ever see his face again or if it was because she was too unfocused, too far removed see things clearly. Where was she? Where was the Riza that Roy knew?

At least she was no longer bound in straps and chains. She was free and that was a small consolation to him. If she was safe then it didn't matter if she hated him.

"As you can see," Finch's voice cut into Roy's thoughts and he tore his eyes from Riza to glare at the man at her side. _His_ place was at her side. _He_ should have been next to her and just seeing Finch standing where _he_ should have been was enough to make Roy furious. "She doesn't care what happens to you. She's with me now."

Finch grinned like a shark and placed his hand on Riza's shoulder, pushing her toward the door as he leaned in close to her ear.

"That's all, my dear. Leave us for now."

Riza's expression did not change, gaze unfocused and tired as she turned and left the room without even acknowledging Finch's orders or even Roy's presence. When she was gone, Roy's glare grew even fiercer.

"What did you do to her? How did you brainwash her?"

Finch laughed.

"We didn't brainwash her, she's just grown tired of your laziness, your philandering ways. She doesn't want to follow someone so frivolous."

Roy's brows furrowed at that comment. And just like that, he knew Finch must have been bluffing. Riza knew all about his supposed philandering. She knew it was an act. There was no way it was one of her reasons for apparently willingly abandoning him. There must have been more to what was going on and Roy was suddenly filled with determination to find out exactly what.

"Perhaps," Roy began slowly, buying time so he could think, hoping Finch wouldn't catch on that he knew something was off. "But it still doesn't explain why she began feeling that way so suddenly. She certainly wasn't acting like that before you locked us up."

"Did it ever occur to you that she was faking it? Maybe waiting for the right moment to be able to abandon you to a fate you deserve? Perhaps she realized I could be the one to punish you, to make you pay for all the terrible things you have done?"

"I may deserve all of this, I may deserve hell, but she promised to follow me there, and Riza Hawkeye does not go back on her promises, does not lie. I believe in her. I trust her."

Finch stared at Roy in disbelief for a few moments before erupting into a fit of insane laughter.

"You are a _riot_ , Mustang. You _believe_ in her? You _trust_ her? After what she said to you? After what you just witnessed minutes ago?" The man doubled over in laughter again as Roy continued to glare. "And that is why you are weak. You will lose everything because you place too much faith in others when you yourself are so _useless_. Perhaps you should focus on bettering yourself before _believing_ in others."

In a flash of movement, Finch kicked Roy in the gut without warning. Roy coughed violently and spit out a mouthful of blood. As he continued to cough and groan in pain, Finch sneered and laughed. He picked up a bloody iron rod and raised it, poised to strike Roy who was still bent over, coughing. Finch grinned at the prospect of hearing the general scream, but before he could bring the rod down on Roy's back, the hall beyond the door was filled with surprised shouts of pain. Gunshots and footsteps echoed through the halls and vents.

Finch stared at the door with a frown. Had someone found them? That shouldn't have been possible. He had been so meticulous, so careful. What was going on on the other side of the door?

It soon grew eerily quiet and Finch strained to hear something, anything that would tell him what the hell was happening. And then, finally, a sound reached his ears, the faint, soft tap of footsteps as someone slowly approached the door. Whoever it was was light on their feet and must have been trained in stealth because it took every ounce of concentration just for Finch to hear their approach. The footsteps seemed sluggish though, as if the person was worn out and possibly in pain.

Everything became silent again and the footsteps stopped. Finch raised the iron rod and stepped slowly toward the door, ready to strike whoever was on the other side. But the person beyond the door was quicker and suddenly the door was flung open and a gunshot rang out. Finch was blasted back as a bullet grazed his arm and he dropped the rod as he stumbled back, grunting in pain.

When he managed to focus on something other than the pain in his shoulder, he became furious at what he saw.

Standing in the doorway was Riza Hawkeye, gun in hand, aimed at Finch's head, the fiercest, most frightening look he'd ever seen was engraved in her features.

"Wh...what?! What is the meaning of this? Where are my guards?!"

Riza almost smirked. She and Roy had been through hell and back together. Twice. She wasn't about to let something like this get the best of them. So she fought her way to Roy. And won.

"I've...incapacitated them. They won't be coming to save you."

Finch's eyes grew wide, rimmed with fear and anger.

"You bitch! You're not supposed to attack _me_." Finch growled and launched himself at Roy, wrapping his good arm around the general's neck and aiming a knife at his throat. "Kill _him_! Shoot _him_!"

Riza nearly snarled in response.

"Never."

She shot Finch's other arm, forcing him to drop the knife and stumble back again. Once he was away from Roy, she shot both his legs and he fell to the floor, screaming obscenities at her and howling in pain.

Riza lowered her weapon and rushed to Finch, fishing the key to Roy's bonds from the man's pockets, then turning and hurriedly unlocking the chains that held Roy down. Her hands shook as she tried to undo the lock, but she eventually released Roy and he slumped against her side, taking a deep breath. She held him close, one arm around his shoulder, while the other kept her gun trained on Finch, who was slowly coming back to his senses enough to notice what she had done.

Roy clutched Riza's waist tightly with one arm, burying his face in her side for a few moments before finally standing with her help. He reached for her gun and Riza gave him a curious look.

"Sir, I've got this."

Roy shook his head.

"I'm fine, I can handle this. You need to go call for backup."

Riza looked into his eyes and found nothing but determination and strength. Even after everything they had been through, he was holding it together, unwavering as ever.

Riza nodded and left as fast as she could to find a place to call for help. Roy kept his eye on her until she was out of sight, then he turned his attention to Finch and smirked.

"Isn't she amazing?" Roy said, voice full of pride. "And you thought we'd be easy to break. Look how wrong you were."

"I haven't lost yet. Just what would people say if they knew she was more than just your subordinate."

"No one would believe a scumbag like you."

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Roy and Riza lay in beds on the opposite ends of the hospital room they were sharing. The request for them to be placed in the same room was made by Roy, claiming that even though she was injured, he needed his bodyguard to protect him, especially after what they'd just been through. Once again, she had rescued him, proved her capabilities as one of the best bodyguards in Amestris. Even when injured she was able to fight. Roy had never been more proud of his captain.

It was only hours after they had been rescued, their injuries treated and stitched up. They had been left alone to rest, but neither could sleep, not after what had transpired between them. Riza had said things, things she never wanted to voice to Roy, and she knew he was still hurting because of her words. He hadn't said anything, hadn't mentioned anything, but she knew. She knew him too well.

Roy's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she turned her head on her pillow to face his direction.

"What did they do to you?" he asked, voice quiet and perhaps even a little fearful. "You...The things you said…"

He didn't continue, but he didn't need to. Riza's chest tightened and she took in a sharp breath, frowning as she gathered her thoughts.

"They... brought in some kind of alchemist that knew how to manipulate the mind. I don't know, they didn't explain to me how it worked. I fought it, but it was difficult. I...I could feel it. I could feel him in my mind and it was horrible… Eventually I just pretended the brainwashing worked before they were actually able to do something to me. When they deemed me safe to release, I had to act like I was on their side, like I hated you. Please, forgive me. I didn't mean what I said, but I needed you to believe my words or my plan would never have worked. I didn't know if they would figure it out if you knew I was faking it and I just… I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry."

"But you _have_ thought of those things."

Riza blinked up at him through her tears, refusing to let them fall.

"Yes, I did once, but I'm the one who made it possible. I'm the one who _made_ you."

Roy frowned and glared.

"Don't you dare blame yourself. That's not your fault. Not at all."

Roy sat up to look at her fully and Riza sat up quickly in worry.

"Sir, don't! You'll reopen your injuries."

Roy ignored her and threw his blanket off, standing and making his way toward her bed. Before she could stand and force him to lay back down, he had reached her side and sat on her bed.

He met her eyes, and his gaze was melancholy, dare she say tortured.

"I…" Roy paused and took a deep breath, looking away from her. "I betrayed your trust… You've gone through so much for me. I've put you in so much danger. I wouldn't be surprised if you resented me for everything I've done to you. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me."

Roy's voice broke just a bit, but Riza caught it and reached for his hand, gripping it in both of hers tightly.

"Don't be a fool. Don't blame yourself either. We've _both_ been through so much. We've both made mistakes and we have to live with that. But you're going to make things better and as long as you continue to do what's right for the people of this country, I will always be right behind you. We'll do this together, like we always have. We'll make things better, together. I don't hate you. You _know_ that. You _know_ how I feel. I…"

Roy finally looked back up into her eyes and smiled, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, just like hers. He reached up and brushed the back of his hand along her cheek, wiping away the moisture that had fallen there.

"I know, because I feel the same."

They might have had their hardships, things that were too painful to say would always lie between them, but as long as they were together, as long as they worked toward their goals _together_ , it would be enough.

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I kind of feel like the very end was rushed. I knew what I wanted for the end, but it just wasn't working out. Everything I was writing sounded lame and I'm still not satisfied so I may edit it later. Anyway, thanks for sticking with this random angsty fic. Sorry it took so long to finish!


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